Shipping-crate



' Y. 2 Sheets-Sheet J. Z. TAYLOR.

' SHIPPING CRATE.

(No Mqdel.)

N0. 522,538.' PatentedJllly 3, 1894.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

@idf-- PATENTA OFFICE.

JEFFERsoN' zAcHARY TAYLOR, or DEALs ISLAND, MARYLAND.

s'HlPPgNG-CRATE.

y SPECIFICATION forming part' of Letters 'Patent No. 522,538, dated July-3,1894. Applicatipnhiedn'eoenber4,1.393. serialNo. 492,749. (No man.)

inexpensive construction, so as to lbe'us'ed as a gift-crate. l

To this end the main and primary object `of. the present invention is to combinecheap-4 ness and strength, and also to provide a crate' 1n which there shall be afree ventilation to` the fruit therein.

The invention also contemplates a crate which, while possessing the advantages noted, shall be extremely light, thereby securing economy of freight and cartage charges, and

furthermore to combine with such crate, fruit trays especially adapted to be used in connection therewith, and which shall securely hold the fruit or berry boxes firmly in position, and shall also greatly facilitate the quick Inspection of the fruit throughout the entire crate, and also the handling thereof on ythe field as well as in vending.

With these and other objects in view which will readily appear', as the nature of the'in-Vv vention is better understood, the same con' sists in the novel construction, combination and'arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated and claimed. f

In the drawingsry-Figure l isa perspective view of my improved crate withfthe' lid or cover thrown open and detached. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View of the crate made up for shipment with the berry boxes arranged on the trays therein. Fig. 3 is adetail in perspective of the crate with the trays removed, and thelid orV cover. detached. Fig. 4. is a detail in perspective of one of the lift trays.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Y A represents a substantially rectangular shipping rateconstructed in accordance' with crates diate point.

, the present invention, andk this crate A,is

preferably provided with a slatted bottom B, whichadmits of a free circulation of air, but which may be substituted for by a plain imperforate bottom if 4found desirable. The bottoni of the crate B has vsecured to theside and end edges thereof the horizontal lower crate rails'C, to which rails are securely fastened, 'by Vmeans of suitable fastenings, the

lower ends of the upright sidel slats D.

To carry Vout the light-weight and economi# cal construction of the crate, I employ as few ofthese upright side slats D, as possible,and

as clearly illustratedin Figs. 1 and 3 of theV drawings,`I generally employ three upright slats for each'side vand end wall of the crate,

vone slat being larranged at leach side and end cornerto form strengthened end corners, and the other slat being arranged at an intermeE The upper ends of the upright side slats D, are connected by the upper horizontal crate rails E, which are securely attached or fastened to said slats, and serve to practically completethe side and end walls of the crate, which walls are formed substantially by the said upper and lower horizontal rails, and the connecting upright slats. A construction is thus provided which may be made sufficiently strong to stand shipment n and handling, while at the same time being `very light and admitting of a free circulation or ventilation of air.

'l The upright side slats D, which connect the upper and lower slat rails'of the crate are projected above theupper rails E, to form 4projected stopends F, which prevent the lid or cover G, from sliding o' at either side or end ot" the crate'asy will'be more particularly Areferred to, and the construction of the crate sary, but at the front and rear'sides, thereof,

At the ends of the crate only one ofV I preferably employ a pair of these braces, such as illustrated, the braces of each pair having their adjacent ends meet and fastened to the center one of the upright side slats D, and by reason of employing a pair of the braces H, at the opposite sides of the crate, the continuity of the zigzag bracing is not interrupted.

- It will be clearly seen by reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings, that the braces I-I, alternate with each other continuously in diagonally opposite directions, so as to complete a zigzag bracing which gives great strength to the side and end walls of the crate, while at the same time serving to fill in the spaces between the slats D.

The lid or cover G, which is adapted to be placed over the open top of the crate on the stop ends F is provided upon the under side ing slats I, which are adapted to rest on the upper side edges of the crate and therefore strengthen the crate suilciently to withstand a number of similar crates or other objects piled on top of the same, while at the same time providing for leaving an air space between the bottom of the lid or cover and or ribs I, are provided with the projected ends J, which detachably engage the upwardly projected hinge loops K, secured at one top side of the crate, While to the oppo site corresponding side of the crate is pivoted the wire hook latch L, adapted to engage an eye M, at the free edge of the lid or cover.

It will be readily seen that by unlatching the hook latch L, the cover G, may be readily detached, and also that when placed in position the latch L, may be bent out of shape so as to securely hold the lid or cover during shipment.

The herein-described crate is designed to accommodate separate tiers or rows of berry boxes N, the lower row or tier of which is preferably arranged on the bottom B, of the crate, and is held from working out from the same by the lower or bottom rail C. The tiers of berry boxes above the bottom tier are preferably arranged in my improved lift trays O. The lift trays O, are constructed in a shape corresponding to that of the crate within which they snugly fit, and are provided with the plain or slatted bottoms P, and the raised end and side pieces S, which serve to hold the berry boxes on the trays and prevent them from working oil? of the saine when being moved or lifted out of the crate, as well as wliilein the crate. To facilitate the handling of the lift trays O, I preferably einploy the flexible handle cords T, attached to the bottom of the tray near its opposite ends and carrying the rigid handles U, which can be conveniently grasped for lifting the trays out and placing the saine in position. After releasing the grip on the handles the flexibility of the cords allow the same to fall down out of the way, it being seen that the lrigid handles U, will act in the capacity of weights so as to prevent the handle cords from working down between the berry boxes out of the way, after the berry boxes have been arranged in position, with the upper ends of the cords thrown over the top edges of the same and the rigid handles hanging inside of the boxes where they may be always conveniently grasped.

The lift trays O, not only provide for holding the berry boxes in position, but at the same vtime provide means whereby each tier of berries can be quickly lifted out of the crate for quick inspection, and furthermore, such trays can be taken to and from the field with the berry boxes or baskets, and may also be used as a handy holder for the boxes l or baskets in vending berries. thereof with a series of parallel strengthenminor details of construction may be resorted Changes in the form, proportion and the to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this ini vention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, ism

the upper layer of fruit. Certain of the slats 1 the lower horizontal crate rails secured to the l. In a shipping crate, the combination of l side and end edges of the crate bottom, widely spaced upright side slats attached at their lower ends to said lower crate rails, upper 1g horizontal crate rails fastened. to the upper ends of said side slats, and a series of separate diagonally arranged wooden crate braces arranged between the upper and lower crate rails and having directly abutting ends attached to the upper and lower ends of the upright side slats, said braces alternating with each other continuously in diagonally opposite directions, and one of said braces being arranged at each end of the crate body substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a shipping crate hav ing upright side slats provided with stop ends F projected above the planeof the top rail of the crate body, hinge loops secured at one top side of the crate, a pivoted wire hook latch attached to the opposite side of the crate, and a detachable lid or cover, adapted to be placed over the crate on top of said projected stop ends and provided on its under side with parallel strengthening slats, adapted to rest directly on the top rail of the crate body certain of said slats having projected ends detachably engaging said hinge loops, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a shipping crate; of the lift trays adapted to benested within the crate to hold berry or fruit boxes and provided with raised end and side pieces, flexible handle cords attached at opposite points to the bottom of the trays and adapted to be arranged between the berry or fruit boxes held thereon, said handle cords being longer than the depth of the boxes on the trays to provide for overhanging the former 'my own I have hereto aft'lxed mysignature in when in position on the trays, and rigid hanthe presence oftwol witnesses. dles arranged on said oords and adapted to hang inside of the boxes to hold the handle A 5 cords in position for being conveniently Witnesses: y

grasped, substantially asset forth. GEO. A. GosLEE, y

In testimony that I olailn'the Aforegzgoing as y, JAMES D. ANDERSON. 

